Ohira fails to win Mexican oil commitment

Mexico City
— Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira failed to win a firm commitment from Mexico on increased oil supplies after talks with President Jose Lopez Portillo, which ended over the weekend. Mr. Ohira had hoped to persuade Mexico to triple by 1982 the 100,000 barrels of crude it is currently supplyig to Japan -- one of the world's biggest oil importers -- in return for increased Japanese investment and economic cooperation. The prime minister said at that President Lopez Portillo had not agreed on any figure beyond this year's level.

Japan's need for oil has become more critical since it began refusing to buy Iranian oil raised to $35 a barrel April 1. Iran had been supplying 520,000 barrels a day to Japan.